


Is Cupcake a Colour?

by TheSpaminator



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: (and I mean HEAVILY), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Carmilla the apathetic tattoo artist, F/F, I am righting this cosmic wrong, I've seen a bunch of tattoo AU's for fandoms, Laura the nervous wreck client, Tattoo AU, and I'm being a butt in the process, and cursing, and so far none of them have actually gotten tattoos right, as a person who is heavily tattooed, rating for suggestive language, so I am doing a thing, this offends me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 15:01:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5875297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaminator/pseuds/TheSpaminator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hollstein tattoo AU where Carmilla is a broody tattoo artist who is known for her ability to create amazing pieces of art for her clients while at the same time ignoring them completely. She doesn't subscribe to that 'tattoo artists are therapists' bullshit, she just works. But then a tiny, nervous, bouncy cupcake comes in to the shop. When faced with the sunny brunette she finds that this girl may be the single exception to her rule.</p><p>Find me on the internet: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sampaicamfin">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.thespaminator.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Is Cupcake a Colour?

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, I've seen so many tattoo AU fics and 99.9% of them totally screw up the whole process of getting a tattoo. I'm here to right that wrong, and also provide adorable fluffy Hollstein feels at the same time. You're welcome.
> 
> Also, I am absolutely covered in tattoos so you can trust me. Please ask me questions if you have any as well, I am more than happy to educate anyone on proper tattoo etiquette, care, how to find a good artist, etc. Just don't call them tatties, tats, or ink. If you use any word other than tattoo to refer to them while talking to me I may send a horde of angry pigeons to find you and pluck your hair out one strand at a time. You have been warned.
> 
> *Entirely unedited and unbeta'd. It is currently 2:10am and I have to get up in 4 hours for work. I want this up though so screw waiting for it to be checked. Please just excuse anything you see as I didn't have the time or energy to edit the way I normally do*

Carmilla was sitting behind the counter of her tattoo shop, stuck somewhere between amused and annoyed. She had a tattoo booked for exactly 12 minutes ago and she was pretty sure the tiny brunette pacing back and forth in front of the shop door was her customer. The same one she’d been emailing for months to get the design finalized. Your typical customer would come in for an in person consult first but this client was from out of province and decided to come see Carmilla specifically due to her ridiculously amazing and well known portfolio, so Carmilla couldn’t be 100 percent sure this was her client due to never having met her or having seen her face. She had a feeling though.

 

Normally, annoyance would eclipse amusement at this point as time is money after all, especially for someone who was only getting paid if she was actually tattooing. However, the strange antics of the woman outside provided enough entertainment for her to let slide her typically hostile outlook.

 

But only for so long. As she watched the woman walk up to the door and grab the handle only to stand stock still for a few moments before letting go and resuming pacing, the tattoo artist found herself growling in true annoyance. With a roll of her eyes she pushed up from her position leaning on the counter and stalked to the door, yanking it open a fraction of a second before the brunette was about to grab the handle again.

 

“In or out.” The shorter woman balked, eyes wide as her mouth gaped without words. Carmilla huffed and glared at the woman, finally provoking a response in the form of a very squeaky and high pitched “In!”

 

With a relieved sigh, Carmilla stepped back and allowed the brunette to walk past her into the thankfully air-conditioned shop. Having the door open even for a few moments had let in more summer heat than Carmilla was comfortable with, she couldn’t imagine how the tiny woman could stomach that sort of stifling heat for as long as she had.

 

The brunette stopped in front of the counter, hands stuffed into her jean shorts and shoulders set up near her ears, eyes shifting all around the shop. She winced at the sound of a coil tattoo machine buzzing from one of the other artists rooms, and her eyes shot to Carmilla with a pleading gaze.

 

As Carmilla leaned down behind the counter to grab her sketchbook with her tracings she addressed the woman again. “Am I to assume you’re Laura Hollis? My 12 o’clock appointment?”

 

“Y-yes. You’re Carmilla Karnstein?” Her eyes bugged slightly as she looked at the raven haired, heavily tattooed herself, artist anew. Carmilla only raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to flush in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, gosh that was rude of me. I’m just surprised, I expected you to be older is all. Your work is so amazing I would have thought experience was as much a part of it as talent.” Laura grinned disarmingly and Carmilla had a sudden thought consisting of _fuck, she’s gonna be trouble_ before she shook it off and pulled out the tracing. She laid it on the counter, turning the translucent sketch towards Laura for her approval. This was the first time she’d seen it in decent quality rather than a subpar scan or photo sent via email. The brunette’s previously nervous expression cleared almost instantly and instead softened, eyes becoming glassy as she allowed her gaze to drink it all in.

 

It was a rather big piece, surprisingly large considering it was her first tattoo according to the emails. Surprisingly large for someone who seemed as unsure as she was as well, and Carmilla probably wouldn’t have tattooed it if she didn’t already know this design had been ruminating in the brunette’s brain for at least the many months required for drawing and waiting for the actual appointment. As it stood, her client was sure and the piece itself was something the tattoo artist would be happy to put in her portfolio. It was an image of a woman floating up into the night sky toward a bright round moon, a red balloon on a string pulling her up and away. She hadn’t asked the meaning behind it, she didn’t think it was her place. If her clients wanted to share, that was their prerogative. She wasn’t going to pry or even try to engage them in conversation, their reasons were their own.

 

“So? What do you think?” Carmilla leaned forward over the counter, arms folded and supporting her weight. With a watery chuckle, Laura nodded her head and looked up to meet Carmilla’s eyes. Her smile was even brighter if it were possible and the artist couldn’t help the small lift of her lips at the sight. “Good, now where are we putting this? Your email said your left shoulder blade?” At Laura’s nod Carmilla walked around the counter and gestured for her to turn around. She’d worn an army green racer back tank top but it was covering still too much of her back but Carmilla just needed to take a look at the skin so she could get an eye for sizing. “Was the size of the sketch about what you wanted?” Laura nodded again and Carmilla lifted it and placed it against her shoulder, shifting it around until it looked about situated. The moon being up near her shoulder, edging towards her neck. The balloon and woman moving up towards it from an angle aimed towards the centre of her back. Carmilla had used her own shoulder as a rough sizing metric when she drew the initial design and luckily for her, Laura was about her size so the proportion of the design was basically perfect for what Laura wanted.

 

“Alright the sizing looks good, I’ve got to make the transfer and get the room ready. I’m going to get you to fill out this standard form while I do that. Read all the points and initial them, fill out your information and tattoo information in the bottom section here and sign that it’s all true and you haven’t left anything out.” The artist rattled off the spiel in a seemingly bored voice and stepped back to walk behind the counter yet again, pulling out a clipboard with a contract affixed to it.

 

“Oh, uh okay.” Laura looked confused, like a puppy who was presented with a treat for a trick, and asked to then perform a trick they didn’t know. Carmilla took pity on her. “It’s nothing special cutie, just a form telling you about all the things that come along with getting a tattoo, good and bad. Possible side effects to the ink, although they are rare, that sort of thing. And affirming that you won’t sue me if something goes wrong. Basic stuff. Also, did you eat a big breakfast like I told you to in the email?” She smirked at the brunette who took the clipboard with a huff of laughter, nodding her head in affirmation and understanding.

 

“Good, I’ll be back in a bit, just leave the form on the counter when you’re done and sit tight until I come get you.” Carmilla saluted her and walked down the hall next to the front desk and towards her personal room. It was adorned with her own decorations, uniquely her own space. Each of the artists at the shop had a room to work in, affording them with privacy for their clients who sometimes had to be wearing minimal clothing, and a place they could escape to work on designs quietly and without interruption. Carmilla had already readied the room as much as she could earlier in moving the furniture into proper positions for a back tattoo. She had taken out the table rather than the chair and a clean pillow with a fresh sanitary pillow case as Laura would probably be laying on her stomach for the bulk of the work. Quickly, she placed the coloured sketch back into her book and pulled out the clean and only lined drawing to position into her scanner. The machine read it and in a few moments spat out a transfer which Carmilla set aside. Now she just had pull on fresh gloves and clean. She did a quick wipe down of her table and then draped it with sanitary cloths. Following that she wiped down her tool cart filled with her ink, needles, and machines, and also draped sanitary cloth over the top, applying bandage tape to hold it in place. She filled her water and soap bottles, wrapping them with clean blue tape and setting them atop the cart as well as her snake necked floor lamp which needed sanitary tape around the places she was most likely to grab it to adjust the lighting in the moment.

 

With a quick look around, Carmilla hummed in satisfaction and she slipped off the gloves, throwing them into the trash. She walked out and to the front of the shop, grabbing the completed form and filing it quickly in the day’s work folder before catching Laura’s eye and beckoning her back with a lazy hand. The brunette scurried behind her, nerves back in full force.

 

“Okay cupcake, I just want to apply the transfer to your skin while I get the machines and ink ready. It needs a few minutes to settle in so it won’t smudge while I’m working.” Carmilla closed the door behind Laura and stepped up next to her desk where the transfer was sitting, and waited. Laura turned around and presented her back, hair swept over her right shoulder and waited expectantly. “Umm, cutie this isn’t going to work.” Carmilla resisted the urge to roll her eyes in the woman’s presence, instead opting to be friendly-ish in hopes she’d get a good tip at the end of all this.

 

“Oh, well what will work?” Laura’s brow furrowed in an adorable frown.

 

Carmilla chuckled. “Well for starters you need to lose the shirt.”

 

Laura sputtered, her face flushing brilliantly. “Wh-what?! Why do I need to take off my shirt?!” She had turned and crossed her arms protectively over her chest, glaring slightly at Carmilla and looking every inch an indignant customer.

 

 _Oh, this is too easy._ “Laura, the tattoo is too big for me to do it with your shirt on. And even if it wasn’t, you risk getting it covered in ink that will never wash out if you don’t take it off. I can see you’re wearing a bra, so you won’t have to be completely topless.” She still didn’t look convinced. The artist sighed tiredly. “Look, I’m not a perv I promise. I see half naked people in here regularly, my focus is the tattoo, not you.” Laura looked slightly offended now, but less upset so that was a plus?

 

“...... Okay.” With suspiciously squinted eyes, Laura grabbed the hem of her shirt and swept it up and off. She turned at the waist and deposited it on the extra chair sitting in the corner of the room, and she also deigned to pull her keys, wallet and phone out of her shorts pockets to stash there as well. When Carmilla saw her clad only in those short shorts and a simple black bra, she found she had definitely spoken too soon before.

 

 _Shit, I am definitely not going to be able to avoid leering a little. I mean fuck, she has abs!_ Carmilla cleared her throat and fought to keep her gaze up at eye level. “Okay. Uh, just put your hair up for me.” Laura rolled her eyes and without turning away from Carmilla she lifted her arms and pulled an elastic off her wrist to tie her hair in a messy top bun. Affording the artist a prime look at her impressive arms and stretched torso. _God fucking dammit, this is going to be harder than I thought._ “Now turn around, I’ve got to apply the gel.” Carmilla’s voice came out lower than she had intended and she cleared her throat, hoping not to tip her hand.

 

“Gel? What’s that for?” Laura turned and presented her back and Carmilla felt herself biting her lip at the woman’s toned physique. _Jesus christ I’m such a creep. Don’t make it obvious, don’t make it obvious, don’t make it obvious._ “Well cutie, it helps your skin hold the design. Without it, the transfer would rub off when I rub away excess ink while actually tattooing.” The artists picked up the transfer to line up so she could figure out how much gel to apply and started to line it up before she stopped again. _Well this just keeps getting even more interesting, doesn’t it?_ With a chuckle she addressed the brunette. “Hey creampuff, your bra strap goes right over your shoulder. Do you want me to make the tattoo smaller so it doesn’t intersect?”

 

“Oh! No, that’s fine.” All of a sudden, Laura reaches back and without a second thought she flicks her bra clasp open as she held the cups in place with her other arm across her chest, allowing for her whole back to be bare.

 

Unable to help herself, Carmilla laughs. “What happened to your nerves cutie?” She ignores the slight buzzing in her head at the sight and lifts her hand to smear the gel. Lifting the transfer to the completely clear skin, minutely shifting it above her shoulder until the alignment is right, she applies it firmly to the lightly tanned skin.

 

The brunette laughs brightly. “Well you said you weren’t a perv and you didn’t sleaze out on me when I took my shirt off so I assumed I could trust you.” Carmilla felt a burning blush and she hoped Laura wouldn’t notice. She smoothed the transfer paper out across her skin, causing Laura to shiver. The artist grinned, glad she wasn’t the only one affected.

 

“Okay, I think it’s good. Take a look in that mirror and tell me if the placement is right.” Carmilla removed her gloves and pulled out a fresh set again as Laura looked at her shoulder in the mirror. With her head down, Carmilla pulled the colour sketch of the design out again and placed it on her toolkit so she could reference it while working. She startled up quickly though, as a delighted squeal sounded from the tiny brunette and affirmed her happiness with the placement and size. This time, Carmilla couldn’t resist an eye roll, which Laura caught but who only shook her head with a bright smile on her face in response.

 

Carmilla continued to ready her station, pulling out the appropriate colours and pouring them into new, clean disposable colour cups which she stuck to the top of her cart with vaseline. After filling each cap with her colours, she opened a drawer of her kit and pulled out new still sealed needles, removing them from their packaging and affixing one each to her three coil machines and stretching the elastics, testing the connection on each with a quick blip of her foot on the peddle, confirming their readiness. One machine with a fine line, one with a thicker liner, and a third with multiple small gauge needles for the colour work. Each got wrapped with bags following that, and laid on the top of her kit.

 

Removing and pulling on a new set of gloves, Carmilla took a look around and felt satisfied that she was ready to go. “Alright cupcake, I’m ready to go.” Laura’s presence was nervous again, the thrumming of the machines while Carmilla tested them seeming to have thrown her back out of the loop. She just stood there, biting her lips and staring at the machines. Carmilla felt the need to set her at ease, realizing that this wasn’t easy for the brunette. “Hey, if you really want I could set up my rotary machines instead, they barely make any noise.”

 

Laura shook her head no after a moment. “No, thanks though. Honestly I think not hearing it would be worse. I wouldn’t know what’s coming and if I felt the needle before I heard it I think I’d jump, which would both ruin the design and probably hurt me more. I expect it will hurt enough as it is, I don’t really want to make it worse. Also, since you set up the noisy machines I assume that’s what you’re more comfortable with, and I want you to be more comfortable since I feel like the work will be better if you’re using machines you prefer, and I want it to be as good as possible. I mean, that’s why I came to you in the first place, since your work is just amazing. I saw an article about you in a tattoo magazine and as soon as I saw your stuff I knew I wanted you to do this piece for me, and I was nervous coming in but then I saw you standing there in your moon shirt and leather pants, and I was even more nervous for another reason entirely. Have you seen yourself, you’re unfairly good looking. And now I’m standing here practically topless, boobs in danger of being exposed at any second, complimenting you and I am even more nervous than I was walking in here.” By the end of her tirade, Laura had her eyes screwed shut and an impressive blush adorned her cheeks. Carmilla was grinning from ear to ear, not caring that the usually broody and aloof Carmilla Karnstein found this rambling mess of a woman adorable and endearing. Or that those were the two adjectives she chose to think of her as rather than sexy or desirable seeing as she was almost completely topless. She would leave the psychoanalyzing of that for later.

 

“Don’t sweat it creampuff, I have that affect on many women.” She winked at the brunette after her eyes had opened and rested on Carmilla again. “Now, come over here and lay down on your stomach. I have a pillow for you and everything.”

 

Heaving a sigh, Laura set her shoulders and walked over, carefully lowering herself onto her stomach so her chest remained covered. Moving her head so she was looking to the side towards Carmilla and managing to pull her arm out from under herself and retain her dignity in the process, she settled comfortably (or as comfortably as you can be half naked on a table in front of a stranger). Carmilla chuckled lowly at the sight, then turning to pick up her fine liner and dipping it into black ink. “Okay, ready Laura?” Carmilla had blipped the pedal a few times as she pulled ink, the sound serving to tense Laura’s shoulders. The raven haired woman furrowed her brow. “I can’t start until you relax. I know it doesn’t seem possible but trust me, it is. Just let your muscles go, act as though you’re going to sleep. And just remember, keep breathing. Don’t hold it, don’t breathe more shallowly while I’m tattooing only to take deep breaths when I lift the needle. Just breathe normally, okay? And if you feel faint, the pain is too much, or you think you might be sick then you let me know right away. Don’t wait. If you feel anything off I need to know right away. That is super important.” Laura nodded her head as much as she could in her position, taking one last deep breath before resuming her normal inhales and exhales. In a small voice she addressed Carmilla. “Ready.”

 

With that, the tattoo artist leaned on Laura’s bar back with one arm so she could anchor herself (admirably ignoring the fact that her entire right arm was resting on the ridiculously soft skin), and depressed her pedal, the buzz of the machine roaring in the relative silence of the room. She looked at her wall mounted clock with a flick of her eyes and then lowered the needle, making a quick movement and drawing out one line before lifting the needle again. “How was that?” She grabbed one of her prepared paper towel sheets and smeared the excess ink away.

 

“Hurts, but it’s manageable.” Laura’s voice was tight with pain but she’d managed to not twitch or stutter her breath.

 

Carmilla continued to line the piece, checking in with Laura every so often to make sure she was alright. For a first timer, Laura was doing an excellent job. She occasionally forgot to keep her breathing steady and Carmilla had to remind her to keep it consistent. They made it through the first lining with only a few words shared during the first hour. As Carmilla finished the first lining and switched out her machines for the thicker liner, Laura spoke something that wasn’t a simple ‘yes’ or affirmation since they’d begun.

 

“It’s a memorial piece. For my mom. I never thought I’d get a tattoo but it feels like a good way to remember her. She thought they were beautiful and she always wanted one. She didn’t get the chance to get one though before she died. So I’m doing it for her.” Laura’s voice was small, but full of conviction. Carmilla felt a twinge at the story, for once actually sympathizing with her clients story. Though that could be less to do with the story itself as much as the speaker, as people tended to spill their guts about their tattoos constantly and many were upsetting or sad in nature. But Carmilla was good at distancing herself, only with Laura she felt invested and it threw her off slightly.

 

“I’m sorry to hear that cupcake. What was she like?” The artist started filling out the thicker lines, giving more depth to the piece than could be achieved with one simple width. By thickening a few key lines, a complete second dimension was added and made the piece look worlds better than it would otherwise.

 

Laura seemed to relax with the conversation, more than she had when they were silent. “She was...... “ The brunette smiled brilliantly and Carmilla had to concentrate on not melting a the sight, feeling a peculiar warmth spreading in her chest. “She was special. I know everyone says that but to me she was. She was a writer and every night she had a new story to read to me before bed, straight out of her own imagination. I don’t know how she managed to do that for so many years.” Laura chuckled as Carmilla pulled away to dip out more ink. “I always felt like a bad kid though since I loved Goodnight Moon the best, even though it wasn’t one she wrote. She said it was okay though, because it was her favourite too.” Carmilla smiled, letting Laura continue to ramble about her mother. The artist wished she had a relationship now with her mother that was even half as wonderful as the one being described to her.

 

As she finished the second run of line work, Carmilla set down the machine and stretched. First her back, lifting her arms and twisting her body while rolling her neck. She groaned as she felt (and heard) her joints pop and release the stored tension from hunching over for so long. Sometimes she asked herself why she continued in a job that wreaked hell on her body but then she saw someone’s face as they saw their new piece of art for the first time and she was happy all over again despite the pain. The raven haired woman sighed as she slumped back in her chair, slitting her eyes open and noticing Laura’s fierce blush adorning her round cheeks and she couldn’t help but smirk at the reaction. “You okay there cutie?” She wasn’t just talking about the pain anymore and that fact wasn’t lost on Laura if the squirm and high pitched voice were to be believed. “I’m fine!”

 

Carmilla smirked and bit her bottom lip to hold in the laugh, she didn't want Laura thinking she was laughing at her expense. However that slightly backfired in Laura’s immediate response to her bitten lip. Those hazel coloured eyes were glazed, completely zeroed in on Carmilla’s lips seemingly without the Laura’s express permission. The apparent mutual attraction was even more evident in that moment and Carmilla at that point decided she was done playing it safe. _Fuck it, she can sue me if she wants, but she is flirt worthy._ So she slowly released her bottom lip, letting it slide out from between her teeth slowly and licking it without shame. The artist kept her eyes on Laura’s face the entire time, noting with pleasure the stuttered breath and subtle widening of already owlish eyes.

 

“Need a break cupcake?” Carmilla leaned forward, letting her shirt fall open at the neck and drawing Laura’s eyes lower. “You could probably stand to loosen up a little bit more, you look tense.” The artist crooked her lips, eyes quickly flitting to Laura’s back which was held far more rigidly than it had been before.

 

When Laura finally met Carmilla’s eyes again, she cleared her throat and replied. “I thought you said you weren’t a perv.”

 

Carmilla baulked and sat up straight immediately, averting her eyes and turning towards her toolkit. “Sorry Laura, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, I just thought......” She sighed and rolled her neck again. “I don’t know, I thought the attraction was mutual. I’ll stop, I don’t want to cross any lines and I apologize if I already have.” _Fuck Carmilla you bonehead. Who gives a shit that she rejected you, that happens. But you made a CLIENT uncomfortable. You crossed a line you complete walnut. You better hope you’re lucky enough to only lose a potentially returning client over this and not have some sort of legal action taken. Fuck you fucked up big time you complete and utter fucknut._ The artist stiffly picked up her colour machine, refusing to meet the brunette’s eyes which were looking at her with intensity.

 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Laura’s voice was soft and Carmilla looked at her in surprise, confusion writ clearly in her brow. Laura reached a hand over and gently rested it on Carmilla’s forearm, making sure she didn’t either expose herself or touch anything that needed to be sanitized. The brunette took a big breath. “You weren’t wrong. About the attraction thing. I’m sorry I said that, I was trying to be funny and flirty and my stupid brain trusted my bumbling idiot of a mouth to deliver that right.” Laura had her eyes screwed shut in embarrassment and Carmilla barked a surprised laugh, startling the brunette’s eyes open again.

 

“Okay cutie.” Carmilla felt a blush on her cheeks and mentally harangued herself over her ridiculous physical response to a girl she’d known for mere hours. _The_ Carmilla Karnstein didn’t blush for christ’s sake.

 

In a much happier state of mind Carmilla picked up her colouring machine and got to work. Laura was still slightly stiff though and she wasn’t sure how to remedy that, but it wasn’t at that point affecting her work so she didn't push. Soon she found herself doing something she only ever did when truly excited or happy and she was slightly appalled that she did it in front of another human. She found herself _humming._ When she realized it was because Laura released a light chuckle along with a warm smile. The artist was thiiiiis close to cutting herself off in embarrassment before that happened, and besides, Laura had relaxed more since she began humming. She wasn’t 100 percent sure if that was why she was relaxed though so with a suspicious eye she continued to tattoo in silence for a moment. Sure enough, Laura tensed up again.

 

Without a second thought Carmilla picked up her tune once more, a closed mouth grin taking over her face when the brunette relaxed again. She still wasn’t quite to the level she had been before their little interaction though, as though the new machine was affecting her. The artist wasn’t surprised, as colour work felt quite different from line work. Carmilla personally preferred colour work pain to line work pain, it was more of a burning sensation rather than the slow and deep pain of the lines. But not everyone was that way and it seemed that this was the case with Laura so Carmilla wracked her brain for a solution.

 

Her answer came in the form of her reaching the crescendo to the song she was humming as she would normally when by herself, actually belt out the lyrics. So she lifted her hand to gather more ink, opened her mouth and sang the chorus loudly and proudly.

 

**You are the One,**

**You’ll never be alone again!**

**You’re more than in my head,**

**You’re more.**

 

Laura had startled under the gloved hand Carmilla left on her shoulder as she reached for the ink with the other. But quickly she instead felt the quivering of covered laughter instead of rigid tenseness in the brunette’s muscles. With a grin, Carmilla continued singing the song only for Laura to laugh loudly finally. The artist hadn’t started tattooing again yet, waiting for Laura to calm a bit. As she sang the verses in a more even tone, Laura calmed and met her gaze with an appreciative air. Carmilla nodded slightly in confirmation, returning and starting to colour the relaxed shoulder.

 

The colour didn’t take as long as the line work, and a full three hours and one full Shiny Toy Guns album worth of songs later, Carmilla deposited the machine on the top of her toolkit. She picked up one of the bottles she’d readied earlier, spraying a paper towel with it and leaning forward to wipe all the excess ink and the remaining marks from the transfer off the brunette’s skin with satisfaction.

 

With a hum of pleasure, Carmilla pushed backwards to sit straight and gestured for Laura to get up. “Alright cutie, you’re done. Just.” She startled the last word quickly with a hand outstretched placatingly when Laura immediately began to sit up. “Just sit up slowly okay? Take it super easy, this is your first tattoo, you don't know how your body will react to the sudden change. I’ve had 300 pound dudes faint when standing up too quickly from getting tattooed.” She ended on a chuckle, remembering those situations with fondness. The big ones always fell the hardest.

 

Laura laughed fully, nodding her head and pushing herself up slowly with one hand having returned to her front to hold her bra in place. She expelled a long breath once sitting up on the table, her legs now having off the side and leaving her back again turned towards Carmilla.

 

“Okay, I think I’m good. Can I stand up and look at it now?” The eagerness in Laura’s voice was palpable, and Carmilla nodded her head with a smile to the brunette’s delight. She popped to her feet, only slightly unsteadily and bounced over to the full length mirror hanging on the wall and tried very hard to see her tattoo by twisting her body around. What she could see caused her eyes to light up but it was very hard to see clearly backwards in a mirror she was turned away from.

 

With a roll of her eyes and a fond grin Carmilla stood and removed her gloves, reaching into the bottom of her toolkit to pull out the big hand mirror she kept for exactly these sorts of situations. She stood up with a few pops sounding from her back, and strode over to stand before Laura and hold the mirror up for her. When it was angled correctly with a little help from Laura, the brunette gasped. Her eyes bored holes into the mirrors surface, tracing every line and drinking in the colours with gusto. Quickly, hazel eyes became glassy with tears and the woman looked up to meet Carmilla’s eyes. A watery smile broke out and she whispered in a soft voice. “Thank you.”

 

“It was no problem. I’m glad you like it.” The artist found herself smiling softly in response and lowering her eyes in a show of uncharacteristic modesty.

 

Laura heaved a sigh, releasing the mirror so Carmilla could reclaim it and return it to it’s hiding place. “Okay so what now?” Her voice was bright, almost as much as her smile.

 

“Now, I clean it up, take a photo or two, and bandage it. Then I clean my station, I give you aftercare notes, you pay me, and you’re off.” The raven haired woman put on another pair of fresh gloves, picking up another bottle of solution and with Laura’s cooperation, cleaned the tattoo free of excess ink and the bit of blood that had seeped since the last wipe. She removed her gloves again, taking a few photos with her phone before putting on yet another set of gloves and bandaging the tattoo.

 

“Okay creampuff, I’m going to walk you through aftercare while I clean up. I have a printed out sheet with the information too but I want to explain it all to new clients so you can ask questions as I tell you what to do. Sound good?” To this Laura affirmed happily and Carmilla explained the process and began throwing out all the disposable materials including ink cups, sanitary cloths that had been draped over everything, sanitary tape, needles into the biohazard bin, etc. She finished the explanation, having answered a few questions throughout as she was finishing wiping down her table with sanitary towels. With a sigh she threw out her gloves and cracked her finally free knuckles. She grabbed a sheet with the aftercare instructions written out and handed it to Laura who had managed to redress herself during the explanation. She couldn’t wear the bra as it would still cover the tattoo (and she wouldn’t be able to wear one for the next 2-3 weeks if it would interfere at all with the tattoo which Carmilla fought to not think about) so she just threw on her tank top and pulled the bra fully out of the side. The artist tried desperately not to stutter in her explanation when Laura had turned to regard her with curious eyes, completely unaware of the effect she was having on Carmilla. Braless in a cool room with only a thin layer of material separating her chest from Carmilla’s eyes which were disobeying her regardless of the effort she made to remain respectful.

 

Both satisfied, Carmilla opened the door to her room and lead the way back to the front of the shop where she settled behind the counter while Laura pulled her wallet from her back pocket once more.

 

“So, you think you’ll be back for more?” Carmilla quirked an eyebrow, eyes heavy with meaning.

 

Laura chuckled nervously and looked down, pushing some hair behind her ear as she did. “I dunno, depends.”

 

“On what cupcake?” Carmilla leaned forward and rested her chin in a hand propped up by her elbow resting on the glass countertop.

 

“On whether I find something that means enough to me to come back for.” She lifted her eyes, suddenly all nerves completely missing as her eyes smouldered at the raven haired woman behind the counter.

 

_Fucking shit, when did this happen? Note to self, when she isn’t distracted, cutie has a bite. Be sure to bring it out of her as often as possible._

 

Carmilla chuckled, smirk sliding into place with only minimal effort. “Well I guess I’ll just have to make sure you do then, huh?” She winked and pulled back, standing straight and pulling on her business mask. “We worked for 3 hours creampuff, that’s 500 dollars even.”

 

The brunette nodded in compliance, fishing out a handful of 50 dollar bills and a few 20’s to hand over to the artist. Carmilla counted it quickly and found herself holding 600 dollars. She balked at the sum in her hands, looking up at Laura with shocked eyes. “Laura, this is too much.” She tried to hand back the other 100 to be unsuccessful, the brunette stepped back and raised her hands with a smile. “Don’t be silly Carmilla, that’s your tip. You went above and beyond for me and you didn’t have to. I imagine most places wouldn’t have been nearly as accommodating to my needs. You were too nice and that’s my thanks.” The woman had lowered her hands, tucking them into the front of her shorts with a slight shrug, only grimacing slightly when she felt the fresh tattoo pull at the movement.

 

The artist couldn’t help the smile she felt adorn her features, and she ran her hand through her hair and pulled it free from the bun she’d had it in for the duration of the tattoo. “Well thank you cupcake, truly.”

 

Laura smiled and laughed lightly, her own shoulders shrugging again when she replied. “I was thinking though, I might have more questions for you when it’s healing. Y’know, things I forgot to ask when you explained everything to me.” Carmilla squinted with an amused twist to her lips as Laura continued. “So I was thinking you could give me your number, that way if I do have more questions I can ask you directly.” The brunette was wearing a bashful smile, although her voice rang loud and confident.

 

In lieu of a verbal response, Carmilla reached her hand forward with a grin and accepted Laura’s eager move to place her phone in the extended hand. The artist put in her contact information and handed it back, mirth evident in her eyes.

 

“Ooooookay, I guess I’ll call you then.” Laura’s eyes widened at her admission. “I mean, call you if I have any questions. About the tattoo. Cause i might forget something. Or remember something I forgot. Or something.” An impressive blush rose to her cheeks and Carmilla found it amusing to think that Laura was acting as though the reason she would call was strictly business even after they’d admitted mutual attraction earlier.

 

“Sounds good sundance, I look forward to it.” She threw in a wink for good measure, causing the brunette to stumble slightly in her steps to the door.

 

With a last awkward wave and shy smile, Laura exited the shop and disappeared from view as she walked passed the windows to the parking lot.

 

 _She goes from sexy, to adorable in half a second flat._ Carmilla shook her head bemusedly, turning to deposit Laura’s payment into her cash bag behind the counter. _She’s gonna be trouble._

 

_But since when is that sort of trouble a bad thing?_

**Author's Note:**

> If any of you were curious about my process for aftercare I would be more than happy to explain it. I just didn't want this fic to be tooo information heavy. It already is packed with stuff so i didn't want to overload you. Just ask and I shall share! Just be aware, not everyone heals the same way so my particular healing regimen may not work for you. Each artist has a way they like as well, but I have tried many over the 8 years I've regularly been tattooed and i find my current process works the absolute best. So yeah, if you're curious, I am more than happy to outline it. Probably in a tumblr post though if I do.
> 
> Song mentioned is You Are The One by Shiny Toy Guns from the We Are Pilots album.
> 
> Thanks again my lovelies and please share your thoughts! =]
> 
> Sam


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